INFLUENCE OF A MUTLISTRAND CABLE DESIGN ON ITS QUENCH DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND STABILITY

The quench development process was studied with two six-strand superco nducting cable samples with insulated strands and different cabling de sign. One sample was the traditional 'six-around-one' cable, the other was of the 'round-braid' type. Quench was initiated by a heating puls e applied to a single strand. A significant difference was observed in the current redistribution among strands due to the different cabling designs. It has an important influence on the stability of multistran d cables. A new concept of the 'single-strand stability' was proposed and corresponding stability criteria were offered. A possible way to i mprove cable stability by using special cabling design is discussed. ( C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.